The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is considering banning sales of live chickens at traditional markets in order to prevent the spread of avian influenza(AI).
 
The ministry said Thursday that it will draft a measure requiring all poultry be butchered before it is sold.
 
An official said that it will take some time until the measure is finalized. The ministry has to come up with a draft based on research and foreign examples as well as collect the opinions of local governments and related parties.
 
Under the new policy, the government also plans to support the establishment of small butcher shops in order to halt transactions of live poultry at traditional markets.